Monday, May 5, 2008

Thanks for those of you who asked for a tutorial on the fabric basket project I updated yesterday! This is gonna be my second tutorial on my this blog. If anything isn't clear, feel free to leave me a comment and ask me for help. Remember that all seam allowances are 1/4" throughout the process, and seam allowances are included in all the fabric pieces used in this tutorial.

First of all, cut out 2" squares from 3 different kinds of fabrics: 8 squares from each.
(1/4" seam allowance is included, so your finished square will be a 1 1/2" square)

Sew together two squares, making sure those two are different fabrics.
I made equal amounts for each set like in the picture: 4 for each set.

Press seams in one direction in the way that it isn't on top of each other.

Now Sew together pieces to create 2 6x2 patchwork layer.

When 2 layers are completed, press seam open like this.

It should look like this when you flip them over.When the same fabrics are not
next to each other like this, it might look a little interesting.

Sew the patchwork layers to a 6"x9 1/2" piece of linen fabric.

Place a fleece batting underneath it. Fleece batting is stable and great for this purpose. Make it a little bigger than the top layer.

Pin the layers and sew along the line that separates the patchwork part and the linen part. Repeat this for the other side too.

Machine baste the both edge.

Cut off the excess batting.

Fold it in half right sides together and sew the two edges like this.

Box corners (this link is helpful). Sew the line: along the seam from the pointy end to the needle it is 1 3/4". Repeat this for the other corner too.

Trim excess.

Let us move on to making handles. Cut out 2 - 2"x10 1/2" pieces of fabrics.

Sew them right sides together and press seam open.

Fold each side to the middle just like when you make a bias tape.

Fold in half and sew the edges like this.

Cut in half. Now you have two handles.

Sew the handles to the main basket.

Now let's make a basket lining. Fold in half a 12"x9 1/4" piece of fabric right sides together and sew the two edges, leaving a lining opening(about 2").

Do the same as you did for the main basket.

Sew outer basket and lining together.

Turn the basket right side out through lining opening and pin like this.

Sew the top part of the basket. Hand-stitch opening closed.

Now your fabric basket is complete! Yeah!!

I would love to hear what you think of this tutorial and if you make it, let me know!

Thanks for your time to stop by this blog and reading my posting!;)

Edited to add:
- All my tutorials are for personal use only. Thanks for understanding!

- Now this tutorial is available in a PDF format (so that you can finally
print it out!)Edited to Add:
This fabric basket measures approximately 5 1/4"(width) X 3 1/2"(height excluding handles) X 4"(depth). I have had many people who made it a little larger. To make a basket that is approcimately 7 7/8" wide, 5 1/2" high, and 6" deep, I would cut out pieces as follows: Each square patch: 3" x 3", linen (the bottom part) 9" x 15 1/2", box corner 2 5/8", handles 3" x 15 3/4", linear fabric 18" x 15 1/2."

This is wonderful. I've just finished my last project and wanted to make a quilt and a bag, this fits both wants in one! You really should think about illustrating tutorials for other people, you've laid it all out beautifully and I feel very inspired. Thank you so much!

I love this! We're making an upholstered patchwork headboard for my daughter's bed using lots of different fabrics. We're sure to have lots of little scraps. How fun would it be to make one or more of these to coordinate? She'll have the cutest 11-year-old girl room around.

Photojojo led me over here, too. I haven't even looked at the camera case tutorial PJ mentioned but I'm already impressed by your site. The basket tutorial is well done--clear, easy to follow, and well-photographed. Thanks for being so generous with those of us who are inspired by other craftpeople's creativity and skills.

Here from Photojojo as well and I have to compliment you on your tutorials! I'm a keen sewer and love finding tutorials online but often they're badly photographed and the instructions leave me peering at the screen thinking "huh?" You have a great way of explaining things or letting the photograph do the talking. Keep it up! Am very keen to try your camera case, I've even got the Amy Butler martini fabric but in green :)

Thanks for your nice comment! I'm glad you find my tutorial easy to follow. I am a visual learner a big time and don't learn if there is no pictures, so I know pictures do help other people too. I've got the martini one too. Oh how I love the fabric......!

I, too, found you through Photojojo. Thanks so much for the inspiration! I'm a big crafter but not necessarily the best at sewing. The instructions were easy to follow and the end product was so exciting for me. I really enjoyed making the basket. Thank you (and thanks for the nice comment on my blog).

Thanks for your nice comment and making a basket for yourself! I have to make some for myself too....Can't wait!

Thanks for asking my permission, Ofelya. Of course You can translate it for your friends as long as you can put a link to this blog(this posting) on the forum. Also I would love to see this tutorial in other language too! (I'm planning to make one in Japanese soon..)

Wow! This is a great tut for such a cute little basket! Thank-you for taking the time to post this! BTW, I popped over from Alpa's at the greenpeacock food blog, so this is my first time here, I'll have to take a look around!

Thanks so much for translating my tute in your language. By the way what language is this? I think the letters look so cute and it's amazing that you can read them! I couldn't find your basket there, but I'll look for it again!Thanks, Ofelya!

Oh my heck! That basket is adorable! I found your blog over at Stephanie's Loft Creations! I can't wait to visit your blog a little more. And I'm most definitely making that basket! The Tutorial is GREAT!

I am definately making this. In fact I can't wait. Its going to be one of my projects for July and I may make several for gifts. I adore it. What a great tutorial and idea. When I make it I'll link back to you and show it on my blog. Thanks so much.

I printed off the tutuorial (I have access to a wonderful printer at my employers and permission to print away)I cut out 2 in Christmas fabrics and completed it yesterday. It is so cute - looks like a little Longaberger basket in calico fabric.Thanks for the great pattern and easy instructions.

I can't stop making these!!! Just when I think I'm through, I think of 12 more people I should be making these for. I'm giving someone away right now on the my blog. Thanks so much for the inspiration. You have a FABulous blog!!!http://quilttaffy.blogspot.com/2008/08/weekend-giveaway.html

LOVE LOVE love these, and just finished my first one - it is CUTE :) I'm going to be making more of these, in different sizes and fabrics - they'll make great gifts :) Thanks for such a great tutorial!

Thanks so much for sharing your pattern. I absolutely love this basket. I just finished and will post pics, my daughter wants to make one for her room.I do have one question, I may have missed it in your tut but when sewing in the liner, I didnt have an opening to TRO, where do you leave an opening? I actually cut a slit in the bottom of the liner, which is ok, since this basket is for me! :)HUGSShannon

Thanks so much for sharing your pattern. I absolutely love this basket. I just finished and will post pics, my daughter wants to make one for her room.I do have one question, I may have missed it in your tut but when sewing in the liner, I didnt have an opening to TRO, where do you leave an opening? I actually cut a slit in the bottom of the liner, which is ok, since this basket is for me! :)HUGSShannon

what a brilliant tutorial - just found out about your blog from Jo in Tas - will definitely have a go and, hopefully, will be great for 'you-know-what' presents! (hate to mention the word before the end of october!)

I just found your blog and I love this fabric basket! I haven't sewed in a few months but this has got me itching to start up again. I just wrote a post about your tut and linked to you, I'm sure you don't mind the link love.

BTW, you could make cute mouse/cat ears from the corner you cut off the basket and the lining by attaching them to a barrett or head band :) I love being able to use the "waste items" from my sewing projects.

Hi, i just wanted to say, I made this, but had lots of trouble with the dimensions of the lining, it turned out to short for the inside and I didnt quite follow where you put the handles on first then the lining, guess im not to savvy....i had to make the lining a lot bigger. was I wrong....can you email me. thanks

Okay so everybody keeps commenting how quick and easy this is, I am going to make one up now, well as soon as I get out of cyberspace. There are plenty of small pieces on fabric on the craft table at the moment as I just can't stop making things. You gotta love annual leave, when you get to stay home all day and sew!!

Thank-you so much for sharing this. I got your link from Crazymomquilts. I just made one!! I had some fabric left from a wall hanging project, I just have no idea what to do with it now..lolGoing to post in my blog : )

Oh I just can’t Thank you enough for posting the Fabric Basket Tutorial. I love the pattern and you are remarkable with instructions and photo’s. Everything was so clear. I made three of the baskets this weekend ( just found your site on Friday)

Thanks for sharing Love your material do you have a special place you find material on line ?

An Etsy blogger BlissByHeather pointed the way to this tutorial and I am so glad she did! This is wonderful and will be very beneficial to me as I begin mass producing for a craft fair in November. The quilting aspect is what I was always unsure about but your pictures really helped a lot so THANKS!!!

I am going to attempt this basket this weekend, with stuff I already have on hand, so we'll see how that goes...but my question is, what are the dimensions of the finished basket? That way I have an idea if it will work for my intended purpose. Thanks!

Love this. I made one this week. It's my first attempt at box corners and patchwork. It turned out pretty cute I think! Your instructions and pictures were easy to follow, but I think I need to perfect my cutting a sewing skills! Overall a great project, so I thank you.

Hi, I have been looking for a tutorial for these baskets forever! I would love to make it, I'm a new quilter and don't have much fabric on hand -- how much fabric (yardage) do I need to purchase to make this? If you could email me back that'd be great.

Wow! Thanks sooo much for this! I've never done any type of patchwork, but my girls are working on their first quilt and I'm learning along with them...so I'm making one for each to hold their quilting supplies...I've finished one and am soo happy that it really was easy, even for a novice like myself.

Thank you for the brilliant tutorial! I am thinking this will make a great Christmas gift for my daughter's teacher, in pretty girly fabric and filled with bath products. Also for me, in festive Christmas fabric, as a holder for Christmas cards? I love to sew, but I'm not clever enough to invent things like you! Thank you for being kind and generous and sharing this with us! Best regards -- Dianne B. in England

Lovely basket, Ayumi! I found your blog earlier this summer but lost the link when my desktop computer crashed. We have been reunited through Sew, Mama, Sew. Thank goodness, because you deserve more comments of praise for your beautiful work.

I liked this basket and knew I had to make one as soon as I saw it. You made a wonderful tutorial that was very clear and easy to understand. I've posted a picture of the one I made on my blog. Thanks for sharing this with us!

This is a great tutorial! I'm so glad I found it. It would be helpful for you to list the completed size, though- it was smaller than I thought it would be. So, I just made the next one a little bigger & it was just perfet for a wedding shower gift- I filled it with goodies & they loved the basket, too!

Hello from Australia! Just a note to say a big thank you for your fabric basket tutorial. I made one just recently, & it went together beautifully thanks to your clear instructions. Thank you so much for sharing the tutorial with the world. It must be very special seeing your little baskets springing up like mushrooms the world over! Best wishes, Bloom.

Thanks so much for the tutorial, so easy to follow and the pictures are great. I just made some Christmas napkins as gifts, and am going to use the scraps to make matching baskets. I have done one already and it turned out wonderfully! I also have a link on one of my blog posts, although there is no picture of the finished basket. Thanks again!

had found your post on this darling little basket back in September. I printed out the instructions that you had given and finally got around to making one myself this last weekend. Thought I would share mine with you as well.http://www.aquiltingwewillsew.com/page1/page1.html

I just wanted to say that your little basket was the first sewing project i ever completed when i started sewing. It's really easy and thank you for posting the tutorial, i have since scaled it up and made a fabric basket for my fabric, so i have one for my offcuts and some for a selection of my actual fabric! xo

Hi, I just wanted to let you know that I made one of your fabric baskets. It was a great project and fun to do. There may be more of them in the future for me. Thank you so much for taking the time to make a pattern and sharing it. I am going to post a photo of it on my blog sometime this week.

Hello! I have enjoyed your Fabric Basket tutorial - it is very well written! I have made several and would like to make more for sale on my site, Country Scrap Quilts. I will provide a link to your tutorial at the bottom of the page on my site, thanking you as the creator of the tutorial for the baskets. I just wanted to make sure that this was ok before I proceeded!Thank you so much!

This is great. I am a novice sewer and completed it in one afternoon. My husband was even impressed. I didn't quite understand how to make the handles, but followed the directions as best I could make out and it turned out fine. This is such a cute basket. I used old clothes that were being given away to make these. Love it! Also, can these be made larger with similiar results? And have you ever tried starch to make them stiffer? Just curious. Again, thanks for the idea and instructions!

Hi Anonymous-I'm glad you enjoyed making your basket! Thanks for sharing the joy with me. I've never made larger baskets, but a lot of people have made this with bigger patterns and it seems they work just fine. I don't use starch. If you want your basket to be stiffer, try harder interfacing;)

I am thrilled to have found this tutorial and your website! I came by way of Joy's at the Joy Patch which I found from Milah's blog - From My Back Porch. I'll be back often you can bet on that. And thank you so much for being willing to share your talents with those of us who are less fortunate. Have a blessed weekend. ♥ Sharon ♥

This is my first visit to your blog and I love it! Your tutorial for the fabric basket was on TipNut which I subscribe to. Sometime soon, I will have my own fabric basket...will post it on my blog when finished. Thanks!

There is a link to your blog on Yahoo/Stashbusters group and I am SO glad to have followed it! Your instruction/photos are so clear and easy to follow for a really cute project. I just finished a Butterfly Fling quilt and pillow for my DGD, the basket would be perfect to go with them.

Hello! I really like your how to and I was wondering if I could translate it in French and add it to my list of how to as explained in my french post (http://www.petitcitron.com/index.php/component/option,com_mojo/Itemid,149/p,166/ and an English translation : http://translate.google.com/translate?prev=_t&hl=fr&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.petitcitron.com%2Findex.php%2Fcomponent%2Foption%2Ccom_mojo%2FItemid%2C149%2Fp%2C166%2F&sl=auto&tl=en&history_state0= ) Of course, your website would be quoted and there would be a link!Thank you, Perrine

Loved your tutorial , made one this afternoon and it turned out so cute , Thanks so much . I also wanted to comment on your trift page, I couldn't believe the patterns , I made and wore versions of both of those patterns in the early 70's , really neat seeing them again , thanks for sharing those.

Thanks for the easy to follow tutorial. I made one basket using 2" squares and another using 2.5" squares. It was amazing how much bigger the 2.5" squares made the finished basket. You can check them out on my blog http://flutterbycorner.blogspot.com/

Ok I love this basket! I am very new at sewing and think I understand all of the steps, but I am a little confused about attaching the lining to the outer shell. Any pointers would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

like tomake this cute basket just a little bigger, I am new at sewing ... so need your advice - how do you think I could do that? I would like it to be an easter basket for my son. Thought about 3 inch or 2.5 in squares but can't visualize how big the 2 inch square basket ends up being. Thank you! Love the idea, I am completing it today!

Christina-Many people tried with 2 1/2" squares and/or 3" squares and they very much liked enlarged ones. If you use 2" squares, the result is about 5 1/4"(width) X 3 1/2"(height excluding handles) X 4"(depth). Hope this helps!

Thanks for stopping by my blog! My name is Ayumi. I love sharing my crafty journal and other little anecdotes in my life here. I am a mother to a baby girl and a wife to my husband from Seattle. We live in a small apartment in Tokyo. I hope you enjoy being here :) Welcome♪